The present invention is directed to the use of hyaluronic acid ("HA" herein), or a water soluble salt thereof such as sodium hyaluronate, in a readily flowable medium, as a carrier for direct introduction of medicaments such as antibiotics to the peritoneal cavity for enhanced and effective healing following surgical trauma. The invention is particularly directed to preventing or minimizing interperitoneal infections. Many mammalian surgical procedures involve invasion of the peritoneal cavity. They occur with attendant introduction of bacteria. The current procedure has been to close the surgical opening following completion of the surgical procedure with contemporaneous or subsequent combatting of bacteria with intravenous antibiotic treatment. Treatment may last for periods ranging from five to seven days. During this period of time, scar tissue or adhesions can develop along with other discomforting effects such as localized pain, obstruction of the bowel and the like.
Sera has been relied on to carry the intravenously introduced antibiotic to the situs of the trauma. Sera does a poor job, however, because bacteria retards sera flow and is present in the incision area in high concentration combatting the efficacy of the antibiotic. It would be more effective, faster and more efficient if the antibiotic could be introduced directly to the peritoneal cavity at the time of surgery or for short periods thereafter. The difficulty, however, is that no vehicle currently is known which would allow direct administration to the peritoneal cavity without attendant almost immediate loss, i.e. within an hour, of the introduced antibiotic through the wall of the cavity by absorption or other means.